The vac is very light so I didn't need to use the shoulder strap included. I found it very easy to use & easy to switch between functions and the power controls also. The instructions advise not to fill the bag up completely. You can tell when it is getting full by the weight of the bag and the way it puffs out. It holds a large amount of leaves, so there's no need to keep emptying the bag whilst going round. The Stihl BGA 56 is aesthetically pleasing – although I’m not sure that particularly matters with leaf blowers. More importantly, it’s powerful for a battery-powered blower; and compact, making it easy to store. It doesn’t come with added vacuuming and mulching, but this most likely contributes to the slimline feel. If you’re likely to come across obstacles like small stones, choose a leaf blower with an aluminium fan and a protective blade.” The collection capacity, at 50L, is up there with the best, making it ideal for larger gardens. It isn’t, however, cordless, so you do need to be near-ish a plug. Leaf blowers have a motor which spins a large fan at high speed,” explains Steward. “The fan is typically designed to pull air in from the rear of the tool and force it down a narrowing tube which increases air pressure thus increasing air speed. The larger the fan and intake, the more air volume the blower can move through the tube providing more power and uplift to move larger amounts of leaves including wet leaves.” What are leaf blowers used for?

SPARES2GO Debris Collection Bag for MacAllister MBV3000

While petrol is more powerful (though it releases smoke), electric models are lighter and cheaper. If you’ve a small garden, a corded electric blower will suffice. For a large garden, a rechargeable cordless leaf blower would be better. A collapsible leaf blower may be best if you don’t have much storage space. You should also consider features like waterproof collection bags and comfortable handles and shoulder straps. Finally, make sure you’re doing it safely. It is quite a large item, but if you store it upright in your shed or garage it doesn’t take up that much room at all." Leaf blowers are used to move foliage and leafy debris from your garden, especially after cutting lawns, hedges or trees. “The material blown from your garden can be added to your compost bin for re-use later on, to reintroduce natural nutrients into the garden,” adds Stewart.Always wear sturdy outdoor footwear, gardening gloves, and consider eye and ear protection,” Simonett warns. “To get the best results, it’s better to wait until the leaves are dry.” With advice from Laura Simonett as well as hands-on testing during several months, I compared each leaf blower for their value for money, power, usability and whether they blow, vacuum and mulch. Here are the best leaf blowers available right now. Aside from being an absolute hoot to use, the best leaf blowers can be a handy bit of kit for anyone with a garden or patio prone to drifts of dead leaves. The premise is simple: blow all the leaves (and other small, light debris) together and collect; or you might opt for a model with a built-in vacuuming or mulching modes, which will gather the leaves in an attached bag. These are especially useful for tidying up autumnal leaves, but can be used in any season.